Instant Father
by TheCriminalsHouse
Summary: Will always thought Henry and Michael were his sons. It was not a question to him, but were they really? Rated T for language, may move to M later.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys, this one was a request from brendafay. Request: JJ and Spencer are together. Henry and Michael are Reid's sons, not Will's. This one will probably be multi chaptered, so stay tuned. Hope you like it brendafay! AU obviously. Will lovers be warned, this one is not Will friendly. I don't mind him though.**

JJ had just returned from a case. She entered into the foyer of her large house with her hand wrapped in gauze. She placed her keys and go bag on the table by the door and froze as she heard horrific coughs coming from Michael's nursery. She raced in to the room without a second thought and started to panic when her son wasn't in his crib. Once her heart stopped pounding in her ears for a second and it was quiet, that's when she registered the sound of the shower in the en-suite. Curious, she walked in, seeing Will holding her naked son in the shower while he was fully clothed.

"Will? What is going on?" She demanded, scared and angry. Something was obviously wrong with her son and she had no idea.

"He's got croup." Will whispered as he laid him down and crept out of the bedroom softly. JJ followed quietly, being mindful of her son, despite the fact that she was furious at her husband.

"What do you mean he has croup?" She whispered furiously. "What about Henry?" She questioned the southern man. Will sighed.

"Henry's at your mama's. I wasn't going to let him catch this." JJ's brow furrowed, still angry.

"How did Michael even get it?!" She yelled a little too loud and she heard her son stir. Will got up silently to get him, not answering her. She followed, grabbed his arm and spoke firmly.

"Don't." She scooped her son up with ease and cuddled him close, waiting for Will's answer.

"Well?" She prodded him. Will sighed again.

"Preschool. Damn cess pool." He whispered, frustrated. When JJ noticed that Michael had fallen asleep on her shoulder she lightly placed him back in his crib before storming out of the nursery again. She furiously started packing her son's things, clothing, diapers and even his playpen. Will stopped, staring at her.

"What are you doing Cher?" Will questioned his wife. He felt JJ's glare on his skin like sunlight burning him.

"MY son got sick, deathly sick and you didn't tell me!" She yelled at him. Will stared at the floor, his own blood boiling.

"If you didn't care more about your job then your family you would've known!" Will bellowed. "He's my son too! I think I can decide what's in his best interest!" Will continued. JJ scoffed.

"Actually Will, he's not. We're leaving." JJ said forcefully as she carried her son and their belongings to the front door. Will froze.

"What do you mean he's not?!" Will shrieked and stared at the pair of them. "Where are you taking him?" Will asked, quieter this time, remembering the blond youngster in his foyer.

JJ didn't answer him, she was too angry. She just glared at this man she thought she loved. That's when Will understood.

"Spencer." He said the name like it tasted bad to him. JJ didn't answer and left the house quickly, poking her head back in to utter,

"I want a divorce," before leaving again. After buckling her son in his car seat and wrapping a blanket around the sick boy, she drove carefully to Spencer's apartment. When the duo arrived, JJ threw their belongings over her shoulders before scooping her sick son and his blanket into her arms. She covered the young boy's head as she went inside and climbed the stairs. Thank God for her workouts with Morgan. When she reached the top, JJ walked over to his door and knocked. She waited until the door was pulled open before asking softly.

"Can we stay here for a while?" Spencer didn't say a word, but pulled the blond inside by her elbow, closing the door behind them.

"JJ, what happened?" Spencer asked incredulously.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Alright folks, here we are. Sorry for the wait. End of the semester finals got in my way. I wanted to address a few reviews from last chapter. I appreciate the constructive criticism and I'm hoping this chapter sets things straight for you guys. If you have anymore concerns, let me know. Here we go…**

JJ sighed, looking at her best friend. "Just let me put him down and we'll talk." The blond whispered. Spencer nodded, silently taking Michael's play pen and setting it up in his bedroom like he's seen her do a thousand times. JJ followed Spencer through the living room to his room, careful not to disturb her son. "Thanks." JJ smiled at him before placing the young boy in the make shift bed for however long they stayed here. The pair silently walked out, Spencer watching the blond worriedly on their way back to his couch.

"Coffee?" He asked knowingly. JJ nodded.

"Sounds good." Spencer walked to the kitchen to start the coffee pot. He went about taking the sugar from the cupboard and the milk from the fridge before setting them on the counter. He turned around to watch the coffee pot fill up and almost ran into JJ.

"Woah. You okay Jayje?" Spencer asked in a concerned tone. JJ nodded and then sat on one of the stools lining the tiny island in his kitchen. She sighed again, finally starting to feel her tiredness now that her adrenaline from earlier had stopped pumping. Spencer turned to her at the sound and furrowed his brow in her direction. "JJ, are you going to tell me what happened now? Not that I don't love having you and Michael here." She finally met his eyes and the look in her eyes scared him.

"I got home from the case and was getting settled in when I heard this horrible coughing coming from the nursery. I found Will in the en suite sitting in the shower with him, so he could breathe in the steam." JJ paused. Spencer looked terrified.

"Is Michael okay?" He rushed out. JJ smiled at his concern.

"Turns out he has croup, it's pretty nasty considering how young he is, but I've got it covered. I brought his medicine with me." She paused again, waiting for a reaction. When all she saw was a smile on his face, she continued. "I was pissed when I came home to a sick infant and my husband didn't even call me or leave a voicemail." Her eyes burned with fire again at the thought, so Spencer grasped her hand and gave it a light squeeze to calm her. "So, I walked out and told him I want a divorce." The blond finished, hanging her head in shame. Spencer was shocked.

"You're so good together JJ. Why would you do a thing like that?" Spencer asked, adamant to put his feelings aside for the sake of his god sons. JJ looked at him and saw no judgement in his eyes, only a desire to understand.

"I don't love him anymore, not like I thought I did. Besides, I told him Michael isn't his." She whispered. Spencer's eyes went wide.

"Are you sure?" He asked, hesitant. JJ smiled despite all the horror the night had brought this far.

"Yes." She was confident. Spencer stopped breathing. He wasn't sure if he was holding his breath, or if he was in shock. He couldn't think straight and then a thought occurred to him.

"Henry?" He whispered, scared of the answer. She nodded silently, smiling at him.

"How?!" He asked, almost hysterical now.

"Well…" JJ smirked. "When a boy and a girl like each other…" She trailed off, sneaking a look at his face. He didn't look impressed and so she sobered. "I had a feeling, something was off, and so I did a paternity test." She said, pausing to let the information sink in. Spencer looked at her, the pain on his face obvious to her. "Spence?" She questioned softly. He sighed.

"What do we do?" He asked, his voice gruff from the emotional pain he was reeling from. JJ thought for a minute before answering.

"I'm prepared to do this by myself, with both of them, but if you want to be there, I'm not going to stop you." JJ told him, leaving the idea there, hanging, for him to think over. It was at that moment that Michael's coughing could be heard, so JJ glanced at the clock and noticed that it was time for more medicine. "I'm going to get him, I'll be back." She said softly to the man sharing the kitchen with her, squeezing his hand as she left the room. JJ grabbed the bottle of medicine and a fresh diaper out of Michael's diaper bag before heading to Spencer's bedroom to tend to her son. "Hi sweet boy. Mama's got you." Spencer heard JJ's voice trail through the tiny apartment to his ears. "I know baby, you don't like it, but it'll help you feel better. I promise." JJ crooned to the young infant who was squirming in her arms, fighting the medicine. Once he'd taken the medicine, JJ laid Michael on the floor to change his diaper. She went through this task singing to the blond youngster as was habit for her and Spencer smiled at the sound. She had a beautiful voice. "There. All done baby." He heard JJ speak again before she entered the room again, this time carrying a dirty diaper. She threw it in the garbage under the kitchen sink and washed her hands, humming the song she was singing to Michael as she did. As JJ dried her hands, she turned to Spencer again. "So, where were we?" She asked the brunette man before her. Spencer cleared his throat before he spoke.

"If I wanted to be there for the boys, how would that work Jayje? You're still married and your house?"

"We'd take it slow." She whispered. "I still have to figure out the house situation. If I'm moving or staying there. Plus, there's still explaining to Henry that you're not just his godfather. He adores you, so he should take it okay, but he'll probably still want to see Will. Would you be okay with that Spence?" JJ asked, nervous even though she knows Spencer would never upset Henry on purpose.

"Of course, I'd be okay with that JJ. This is about the boys. They need to be okay with everything before any major changes happen. I'm scared though Jayje. My dad was horrible, he walked out without a thought to how it would affect me. I didn't see him for almost twenty years and that destroyed me. I could never do that to them. I love those boys so much JJ." Spencer spoke with earnest, trying to convey his sincerity. JJ took his hand in hers and looked into his eyes.

"I know that Spence. They love you just as much, but you have nothing to be worried about. You are nothing like your father. You're so loving, caring and honest Spence, trust me." The blond pleaded, hoping he would understand. Spencer nodded, a small, hesitant smile gracing his lips.

"So, any major changes?" JJ questioned. "What did you mean by that?" Spencer looked into her eyes carefully, searching for something. It was clear that he found whatever he was looking for because he spoke again.

"They need to get used to a move if it needs to happen before we tell Henry what I am to him. They also need to adjust to that news before anything else goes further."

"Further?" JJ asked, her eyebrow furrowing at him. Spencer nodded.

"Yeah, further. If you'll have me I'd love for us to be together.." He trailed off, nervous for her reaction.


	3. Chapter 3

JJ stood there, looking at Spencer in silence. She was in shock, but if she's honest with herself, she always thought they would be good together. Right from the first date they had to the Redskins game, but things got off course quickly for them. She met Will and they had a whirlwind romance, which, before long was a full-blown relationship. She couldn't deny her feelings for Spencer though, so she kept going back to him from time to time. The thought made her sick to her stomach, she never saw herself as a cheater, but their chemistry was undeniable. She got pregnant with Henry and assumed it was Will's because they never used protection, whereas her and Spencer always did. When she found out she was pregnant Will unexpectedly proposed and that was the end of it. Or so she thought and now she's here. She looked at the brunette man before her and realized he looked terrified and that she hadn't spoken in a really long time.

"Spence," She whispered. "There's a lot to figure out still. My divorce isn't finalized and I don't want to get involved with you unless the boys are okay with that decision. They have enough change to handle as it is." Her speech was so quiet that Spencer had to strain to hear it.

"I understand JJ, really. It makes me happy that you want us though. It's a dream come true, I've loved you for years." He confessed to the blond. JJ blushed at the admission and then yawned loudly.

"We should really get some sleep Spence, it's late. I'll take the couch." JJ says as she drags her tired feet towards the couch.

"No way. Go sleep in my room with Michael. I'll take the couch." Spencer's tone said the issue wasn't up for debate. JJ nodded, smiling at her best friend before heading to the bedroom and shutting the door. JJ quickly checked on Michael's sleeping form, peacefully for now thankfully, kissed his forehead and then set out to change into the clean pajamas in her go bag. She was too tired to brush her teeth tonight, so she pulled her hair tie to release her blond hair from it's pony tail and slipped beneath the covers, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. In the living room Spencer had fallen asleep just as quickly, happily thinking about how his dreams might still be in reach.

~CRIMINAL MINDS~

The next morning, JJ was woken up by the growling of her stomach. She slipped out of bed, went to the bathroom and then went to get Michael out of his playpen. She swiftly changed his diaper and his outfit before tiredly dragging her feet into the kitchen in search of coffee. She found Spencer there making breakfast for the three of them. Pancakes and bacon for the grown ups, while Michael got scrambled eggs and buttered bread. After Michael was placed in the bumbo chair JJ brought along, the trio sat down to breakfast. Once they finished their meal, JJ called Will while Spencer did the dishes. She waited until the rings ceased and she heard his gruff morning voice, he was probably sleeping in since he didn't have the boys.

"LaMontagne." Will answered his cell tiredly, expecting it to be his boss for an emergency shift.

"Will, hi." JJ whispered. "Can we talk, please?" She pleaded with the man, knowing she messed up and was overly harsh with him last night.

"Don't know if there's anything to discuss Cher." Will dead panned to his wife.

"I think there is. I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was over tired and scared, but you didn't deserve that from me. I just wanted you to know I'm sorry." She rushed out, half expecting him to hang up on her. Will sighed.

"I'm not gunna say it's okay Cher, 'cause it's not. Did you mean it?" He whispered, hoping she was just mad.

"I meant it, but I'm sorry how I said it." JJ said, hoping to convey her sincerity. Will sighed, clearly disappointed.

"We should probably meet up to talk then." The New Orleans police officer said. JJ nodded,

"Yeah. That's a good idea. At the house or brunch out?" She asked.

"The house would be easier. We could do it around lunch so Michael can have his nap while we talk if that's okay." Will offered.

"Of course. There's a lot to discuss so his three-hour nap should do us some good." JJ agreed.

"See you then Cher." Will whispered, sounding sad.

"Bye Will." JJ said before the line went dead. She put her cell back on the counter and looked at her friend. "Hey Spence, do you mind entertaining him while I shower?" Spencer involuntarily shook his head,

"Not at all, go ahead." He smiled at her, grabbing Michael from his chair to wipe his face and hands before finding toys in his bag to put out for the boy while they sat on the floor together. It wasn't long before Spencer heard the shower running and he smiled at the thought that this could be his life someday. "Hey buddy, that's a cat. Can you say meow?" Spencer encouraged.

"Mow!" Michael said happily.

"Good job bud!" Spencer cheered. "Doggy." He tried again, offering another stuffed toy to the little blond.

"Woof!" Michael yelled. At that point, JJ re-entered the living room, dressed with a towel wrapped around her head. "Ma!" He added when he saw her.

"Hi, smart boy!" JJ cooed, causing Michael to giggle. "Your turn Spence. I'm going to take him home in a bit for a nap and so that Will and I can talk things over."

"Alright." Spencer said before heading to the bathroom for his shower.

~CRIMINAL MINDS~

JJ got out of her SUV in the driveway of her home, gabbed Michael's car seat and went to the front door before walking inside. Will was there to greet her with a glass of wine before taking Michael to his nursery. When the infant went down smoothly, he met JJ in the living room on the couch.

"Hey Cher." The southern man drawled out politely. JJ smiled meekly at the man.

"Hi Will."

"So, how do you wanna do this?" Will pondered out loud. JJ scrunched her nose and put her finger on her chin in thought.

"Well, I thought I'd let you know that I told Spencer that he's the boys' dad. Neither of us knew, I hope you can understand that, but I understand if you're upset about it." The blond spoke quicker than usual, her nerves getting the better of her. Will sighed, obviously not thrilled at this dilemma he'd found himself in.

"We can't change what is Cher, but, and this may sound selfish, where do I fit with the boys now?" Will asked. JJ smiled because this is actually information Will would want to hear.

"Actually, Spence wants you to be there if that's what Henry wants." This put a beaming smile on Will's face.

"You're okay with that JJ?" Will clarified, unsurely.

"Of course, Will. Anything that makes the boys happy and healthy is fine by me. I'd say having two strong, happy, and successful men in their lives couldn't hurt." JJ smiled, this one reaching her eyes for the first time since stepping inside. Talking about her boys always made her the happiest she could be, after all. "We just have to figure out the divorce now I suppose." JJ continued cautiously. Will sighed.

"If a divorce is what you want, I won't fight you Cher. Your happiness makes a better environment for the boys to grow up in so I'll do it." Will vowed, just trying to do right by the woman he promised to love until death parted them.

"Thank you Will." JJ spoke graciously. "If you want the house, I'm fine with that." She added. Will looked confused.

"What am I going to do with this giant house with no kids to raise?" Will wondered out loud, scrunching his eyebrows together at the blond in front of him. JJ was surprised.

"You want me to keep the house?" She asked, completely taken by surprise. Will nodded,

"Yup. This is all the boys have ever known. It's their house, not mine." JJ smiled, the man before her was so gracious every chance he got.

"Thank you Will. That really means a lot." JJ whispered, happy to have the ugliness this situation could have been behind them. She went into the spare bedroom to call Spencer to tell him about the news while she waited for Michael to finish his nap.

 **AN: Whelp, JJ really redeemed herself there if I do say so myself. A nice long chapter for all of you for the wait you suffered. As you can see, I plan to make it so all three of the adults in the boys' lives get along well overall. I hope I still have readers after the controversial way this story started. If I do, thanks a bunch for sticking around.**

 **~TheCriminalsHouse.**


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer had gotten lost in his thoughts with the warm water cascading over his skin, but when he heard the ringing of his cell phone he bolted from the shower, hastily wrapping a towel around his waist. He thought it was probably work -Hotch or Garcia- but when the caller ID read JJ, the brunette's smile beamed bright.

"JJ?" Spencer questioned in lieu of a hello.

"Hey Spence." Came her easy Pennsylvania drawl. The man smiled when he heard her smile over the line.

"Is everything okay? What happened?" Spencer asked, a little bit calmer now.

"Everything went really well. We figured out Henry's visitations, minus asking him of course, and the divorce and even mine and the kids' living arrangements from here on out." JJ gave the information freely and with joy.

"That's amazing Jayje! What about Henry? He still has no idea what is going on." Spencer started to ramble. JJ's giggle met his ear and the man froze, taking in the sound.

"Henry's been at my moms because of Michael's croup, but I was thinking about letting Will keep Michael for the night and bringing Henry to your apartment to spend time with him. Maybe we can even have that talk. What do you think?" JJ suggested softly, not wanting to push the issue or move too fast. Spencer was silent on the other end of the phone for a few minutes before he finally spoke.

"That sounds good to me." Spencer answered thoughtfully.

"Don't worry." JJ whispered knowingly. "Oh, there's Michael. Now that he's up I'm going to ask Will if he's okay with keeping him. Bye Spence. Talk to you later!" Spencer let a contented sigh pass over his lips as things slid even more into place.

~CRIMINAL MINDS~

JJ was singing along to the radio on the way to her mother's house to pick up Henry and when she arrived the radio cut along with the engine. The blond got out of her SUV slowly, taking in her childhood home as she ascended the porch. Her knock sounded on the old oak door and she could hear her mom telling Henry to wait for her. JJ chuckled as the door creaked open and her family came into view. "Mama!" Henry cheered, having missed the woman while he visited his grandma. When he launched himself into JJ's embrace for a hug, the taller blond let out a huff as the full weight of her eight-year-old hit her like a brick.

"Hi baby." JJ cooed, hoping missing her meant Henry would let her get away with the term of endearment. He was normally adamant that he wasn't a baby anymore. "Hi mom." She whispered as she took in the smell of her son's hair. Her mom smiled at her over Henry's head.

"Hi Jennifer." JJ sighed.

"Mom." Her mother raised an eyebrow at the woman holding her grandson.

"I know you hate it, but your name is beautiful Jen." Her mom insisted, so JJ dropped it. The younger blond turned to her son.

"Come on bud. We're going to see Uncle Spence. I have our bags in the car so we can have a sleepover. Ho does that sound?" JJ made her voice higher pitched than normal and excited with no effort whatsoever. Seeing Spencer excited her too. It always did.

"Really Mama?" The youngster squealed. At JJ's nod, Henry's arms were back around her neck, squeezing tight before he jumped to the ground in front of his mom and took off running to the car. "Come on Mama!" Henry insisted, impatient and excited, like only a child can be. JJ turned to her mom, intent on giving her a hug goodbye, but when she saw the look on her face she froze momentarily. Sandy took her daughter into her embrace before whispering into her ear,

"Be good to him Jen." And JJ nodded into her mother's neck, understanding instantly what the sentiment meant. JJ pulled away from the hug, smiled at her mom and waved.

"Bye mom!" She called over her shoulder on the way to the car. "Alright buddy, buckle up." JJ turned her head to look her son in the eyes.

"Okay Mama. I'm ready let's go." Henry said enthusiastically. JJ smiled at her son through the rear-view mirror as she reversed out of her mother's driveway and onto the road back to Virginia. The duo had been driving for a little more than thirty minutes when Henry spoke for the first time.

"Mama?" JJ's eyes met his through the mirror again.

"Yes buddy?"

"How much longer?" His pout was pronounced. "I'm hungry." He added, almost like an afterthought. JJ chuckled at the predictable behavior with six hours left to drive.

"Alright bud, why don't we stop at McDonald's and then you can take a nap for the rest of the ride? How's that?" JJ offered, knowing what was coming.

"Yes, please Mama." The eight-year-old squealed yet again, he was a happy boy today.

~CRIMINAL MINDS~

JJ was exhausted as they pulled into the parking lot of Spencer's building six hours later. She cut the engine and let out a sigh, excited at the thought of stretching her legs for the first time in six hours. The blond got out of the SUV and opened the back door to wake Henry. The drive had taken so long that it was now dinnertime and the youngster would be hungry again no doubt.

"Henry, wake up baby." She shook the young boy softly and waited.

"Huh?" Henry mumbled softly. "Mama?" He questioned.

"Yeah baby, it's me. We're here." She told him. That woke the boy up immediately.

"Yay! Let's go see Uncle Spence!" Henry squawked because of the sleep in his voice as he unbuckled his seat belt before jumping to the ground past his mama. JJ chuckled.

"Let's go buddy." She said, taking his hand and leading him to the door while carrying their bags in her other hand. Henry ran ahead in his excitement pulling his mother along the way. Once the duo was inside the building, Henry let go of his mother's hand and took the stairs two at a time, excited to see his Uncle Spence.

"Henry, wait!" JJ called after him as she jogged to keep up. They reached Spencer's door before long and Henry just called out for his uncle before JJ even had a chance to knock or admonish the young boy before her. The door swung open in a flash and then Henry was jumping into Spencer's arms just like he had with JJ earlier that day.

"Hi Uncle Spence. I missed you." Henry whispered. Spencer chanced a look at JJ at Henry's mention of uncle before stepping aside to allow her into his apartment.

"I missed you too buddy." Spencer responded before placing the boy back on his feet. He smiled at JJ as he helped her carry their bags to his bedroom. "Hi Jayje." JJ smiled back at the man widely.

"Hey Spence. What do you want to do for dinner? Little man is hungry." The brunette winked at the blond woman before him and JJ's breath caught in her throat involuntarily.

"He's a lucky boy then. I ordered us some pizza. It should be here soon." JJ smiled again at the thought of pizza after a long day. The sound of Spencer talking to Henry pulled her out of her thoughts of traffic and the hours she'd spent sitting today.

"So, what do you say to a movie while we wait for our pizza Henry?" JJ heard Spencer ask their son.

"Yeah!" Henry cheered as he went to Spencer's DVD collection to make a selection. As he ruffled through his choices indecisively, the adults sat on the couch.

"Hey, Hen, we need to talk to you buddy." JJ spoke to the smaller blond. She chanced a glance at Spencer and smiled encouragingly at his look of apprehension.

"Okay Mama." Henry agreed as he joined his two-favourite people on the couch, his movie forgotten for the moment.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey guys, so I am alive and thought I'd grace you guys with my presence in the form of an extra long chapter for your patience with my shotty update schedule. Hope ya'll enjoy it! P.S: Who's loving the newest season of Criminal Minds? Episode 10 killed it like always. 3 Anyways…Here it is:**

Henry climbed into Spencer's lap and looked at his mother. "What is it Mama?" JJ smiled at Spencer at the sight of their son in his lap before turning her attention back to her little boy.

"Well, you love your Uncle Spence, don't you?" JJ asked her son.

"Of course, I do Mama, he's my favourite uncle!" Henry beamed at Spencer as proof before turning back to his mom inquisitively. JJ smiled broadly at the pair of them before responding.

"I'm glad baby. What would you think if Uncle Spence was your daddy?" JJ asked a little nervously, holding her breath. Henry's eyes and nose scrunched up in thought and then he said,

"I have a daddy Mama. Do I get two daddies?" Spencer's eyes widened and JJ smirked before remembering to answer Henry's serious to him question.

"Kind of buddy. What if you lived with Mama and me and saw daddy whenever you want?" Spencer jumped into the conversation now. Henry tapped his chin with his index finger in thought as JJ is known to do before speaking.

"Can I call you daddy?" Spencer smiled fondly at the blond boy in front of him.

"You can call me whatever you want Henry." Spencer clarified.

"Are you getting married?" It was JJ's eyes that widened at that and they got bigger at Spencer's next words.

"Someday buddy, I'd love to marry your Mama, but right now I just want to live with you guys and see if we like that. How does that sound?"

"Okay!" Henry cheered happily just as the doorbell rang with what JJ assumed was their pizza. She ruffled their son's hair as she got up to answer the door, grabbing her purse on the way. JJ heard the faint sounds of the intro to The Incredibles 2 as she swapped money with the delivery boy for their dinner. JJ silently went to the kitchen to grab plates, napkins and glasses for the three of them before joining the boys in front of the television again. When JJ returned, Spencer took the plates and napkins from her as he got Henry his pizza and handed it to him. JJ poured drinks before looking at Henry again.

"You're a lucky boy today Henry. Pizza for dinner, a sleepover with Uncle Spence, and now soda with your pizza!" JJ told the eight-year-old animatedly. Henry smirked at his Mama.

"A sleepover with daddy, right Mama?" No hesitation entered the little blonde's voice at that and it took Spencer's breath away. JJ smiled at Spencer with tears in her eyes.

"Yes buddy, a sleepover with daddy." JJ corrected herself as she curled into Spencer's side on the couch and tucked her head in his neck. When Spencer felt her lips on the shell of his ear before she spoke, he jumped. "Take me on a date." She whispered.

~CRIMINAL MINDS~

The next morning JJ wakes up to the sound of vibrating coming from the side table. The blond reaches towards the offending cell phone and puts it to her ear tiredly. "Hello?" She whispers.

"Morning Cher. I just wanted to let you know that I found a new place so you and Henry can come home." Will informed her quickly. He assumed from her whisper that Henry was sleeping and he didn't want to wake the boy.

"How did you find a place so quickly?" the Pennsylvania blonde asked incredulously. Will chuckled soft and low in her ear.

"I have connections too you know Cher." Was his cryptic response. JJ smiled at the thought of them getting back to a joking place again after all the craziness and could almost picture him winking in her head. She chuckled softly just as he had earlier so as to not wake her sleeping son and said,

"Alright Will, thanks for letting me know. I have to go now." At that, JJ hung up the phone and headed to the kitchen in search of coffee. The young mother climbed out of bed slowly trying not to wake Henry and dragged her exhausted body to the kitchen. Once there, JJ was a little surprised to find Spencer already awake and standing at their shared love that is the coffee maker. "Morning Spence." JJ said in a voice louder than the one she used with Will only minutes earlier. Spencer jumped at the sound, not expecting anyone else to be awake yet considering they'd both been up half the night reading to Henry.

"Morning Jayje. I guess my coffee in bed plan is a bust." He chuckled nervously, not sure how to feel after her preposition of a date last night. JJ smiled softly at him before speaking.

"That's okay Spence. I'd rather sit here with you anyway." The smile reached JJ's eyes for what felt like the first time in weeks and Spencer was glad to see it.

"About that date.." Spencer trailed off, unsure of how to continue his thought. JJ stared at him, waiting patiently for him to continue. He did. "Why? When? I thought we were taking it slow for the boys' sake." Spencer looked confused yet hopeful so JJ smiled in his direction again before answering.

"Why? Well, as much as I want to take it slow for the boys, Henry took it amazingly well and Michael will just follow in his footsteps knowing him, so what reason is there to wait?" JJ asked, overtaken by how right the previous night felt to her and how she was now seeing Spencer in a more romantic sense then she did before. Spencer let out a long, slow breath.

"I love the idea of taking you to dinner and actually being allowed to hold your hand, have it mean more than friendship and you know, now that the risk of being knocked out is gone, that's good too." He chuckled and she giggled before Spencer resumed his speech. "You're still married JJ and you've been many things in your life, but you don't want to add long term adulterer to that list, I don't think." Spencer shut his eyes tight, like the idea of helping her with that much sin hurt his soul and how he wanted the world to see her as he did: Amazing beautiful, loyal to a fault and respectable. JJ sighed, knowing he was right and hating every minute of it.

"What if we talked to Will about it first and you know, got his permission or at least let him know we wanted to date during the trial separation?" JJ offered, hopeful once again. Spencer smiled at her eagerness, thinking that over.

"Sure. Why don't I come with you to the house and we can have him over for dinner maybe? Feed him and let him spend some time with the boys and then once they're both in bed talk to him. What do you think?" Spencer said, a half smile on his lips. JJ nodded once, hard and fast, liking that idea and putting an end to the conversation as Henry joined them in the kitchen.

"Morning Mama. What's for breakfast daddy?" The boy questions, looking to Spencer. The man in question smiles fondly at both the blondes in his kitchen before addressing Henry.

"I'm not sure buddy. Mama and I were just drinking coffee. What would you like?" Henry closes his eyes as he thinks hard at the simple inquiry.

"Hmm…" The boy starts. "Pancakes?" He asks hopefully. Spencer shares a look and private smile with JJ.

"Of course, bud. Blueberries and bacon?" Spencer asks knowingly. Henry nods quickly, breaking out into a massive smile. JJ smiles at her son.

"We're going to head home after breakfast baby. Why don't you go shower while Mama and daddy make breakfast?" JJ suggests of the eight-year-old. Henry runs off to the bathroom without responding to his Mama. Once the young boy has started the shower and JJ hears the water running, she turns to Spencer. "Let's make food Spence, I'm starving."

Spencer is flipping the pancake in the pan as the bacon sizzles in the pan next to it and JJ busies herself cutting up fruit to go along with their breakfast. The brunette genius looks over and the blonde is dancing and singing along to some upbeat tune on the radio he doesn't know and he's mesmerized. She captivates him. Every little move she makes is perfection to his eyes and just as she spins, her hair making a halo of blonde around her head, he can't help himself. "Can I kiss you?" He rasps out before he even knows he's spoken and she freezes, knife still in her hand mid spin and just stares at him. JJ hears nothing in her state of shock at the brunette's question. Before either of them knows it, she's leaning into him for a soft peck. As soon as their lips touch, JJ feels fireworks go off in her stomach and she's pushing her body into him, forgetting where they are. Spencer pulls away swearing as the scent of burning bacon greets his nose.

"Shit! The bacon!" He swiftly pulls the bacon from the pan also removing the pancake he'd flipped earlier for good measure. JJ blinks slowly, finally coming back to reality after their searing kiss.

"Damn Spence, it's never been like that before." She smirks at him before speaking as an after thought. "By the way, I love burnt bacon." She adds a wink his way just because she's feeling extra hyper at this point. Before Spencer can respond, Henry walks into the kitchen freshly showered, dressed and talking a mile a minute. His giggle greets the adult's ears at the tail end of a story they must have missed and then he's talking again.

"It smells like burnt bacon in here daddy. Mama loves burnt bacon." Henry says it like it's a well-known fact and Spencer looks at him a little surprised. He chances a glance at JJ and she's sticking her tongue out at him. He shakes his head before muttering under his breath,

"All those cases and shared hotel rooms and I had no clue…" The man shook his head again, this time clearing his thoughts before speaking to the room. "Pancakes, bacon and fruit is ready buddy." Henry smiles for a second before it drops from his face into a frown. "What's wrong bud?" Spencer asks Henry.

"I missed the dance party, didn't I?" JJ nods, before speaking.

"Sorry baby, I know how much you like when we dance together. How about once we get home you, me and Spence can make some cookies and have another dance party?" She's hoping to cheer up the young boy. His sensitivity makes sense now. He is his father's son. The boy's smile is blindingly bright at those words.

"Yay!" He cheers, like he's 3 years old all over again and it makes the adults in the kitchen smile.

"Alright buddy, eat up okay?" JJ instructs Henry as she pours him some orange juice to have with his breakfast, before pouring more coffee for Spencer and herself and joining their son at the island. After they finished breakfast, Spencer busies himself with the dishes and catching up with Henry about school and his interests while JJ takes her shower. Just as Henry is telling Spencer about his love of magic tricks all because of the time Spencer showed them to him at Mama's wedding, the brunette smiles softly at the memory and JJ joins them dressed with her wet hair in a messy bun.

"Wow Mama, you're pretty." Henry whispers, almost as if he thinks speaking louder will shatter the moment. Spencer looks over to agree with his son because how could he not, JJ is gorgeous, always and he's stunned.

"Just as gorgeous as that day." Spencer says, just as quietly as Henry. JJ blushes at the reality of her boys showering her with praise, it'd been so long since that had happened to her if she's being honest and she feels out of place.

"Thank you, boys. Shouldn't we head out now?" Henry takes off like a shot to the front door and both Spencer and JJ remind him in unison,

"Walking feet Henry!"

"Sorry Mama! Sorry daddy!" Comes the boy's voice as the adult's make their way to the door at a slower pace. Once everyone is there, they start to make their way to JJ's SUV because it's the only car that has Henry's booster seat and the trio get in so JJ can drive them home.


	6. Chapter 6

The trio are making their way to JJ's house from Spencer's and the young boy is full of questions. "Will you be living with us here daddy?" Spencer stops to consider his words carefully.

"I want to buddy, but Mama might want to get a new house." He answers the miniature version of his love and looks to her for clarification. JJ shakes her head softly.

"Of course, you can live with us here Spence." JJ says gently, squeezing his hand to let him know she's okay. "I'm fine if you want to help me redecorate though." She smiles at him, her eyes twinkling. "That could be fun." She adds to provide him with even more reassurance. Spencer nods and smiles at JJ before turning his smile to the rear-view mirror to their son.

"Yes buddy, I'll be living with you here and I can't wait to get home and see Michael again." Spencer tells Henry with a smile in his eyes.

"We're here." JJ tells her boys before climbing out of the SUV to help Henry out of his booster seat so he could jump into the driveway as he's known to do on a regular basis. Once his feet hit the ground, the young boy races to the front door and hops from foot to foot while he waits for his Mama to open the door. As the door creaks open, Henry pushes past the adults in a rush to find his brother.

"Henry! That's not nice." JJ calls after their son.

"Sorry Mama!" The boy calls distractedly in his haste to find his little brother. Spencer chuckles softly at the predictability and looks to JJ.

"He loves so hard that boy." He says simply as an explanation before expanding on the thought. "You, Will, the BAU, anyone he meets really and I'd like to think it's because of you Jayje." Spence smiles at her, a real smile that reached his eyes and she missed seeing those. If she's honest, she hadn't seen it since the Redskins game all those years ago and she thinks it's because his dream of her, of them is real and within reach again.

"Naw," The blond drawls. "He's his father's son." A wink completes the statement and Spencer can't breathe. At that moment, Henry comes over slowly, awkwardly carrying Michael towards them.

"Mama, dad is in the kitchen." Henry says, kissing JJ on the cheek and hugging Spence with one arm before walking off. "Have your adult conversation, they're boring anyway. We'll be in the playroom." Henry says like he's Hotch telling them to meet in the roundtable room for a briefing and Spencer bursts into laughter.

"Have you been secretly taking him to work with you in your office?" Spencer asks her as he walks to the kitchen to find Will making food. JJ is stunned and runs to catch up.

"Spencer, hi." Will says with much less anger than the genius expected and he's surprised. Spencer blinks.

"Will, I'm so sorry man." Spencer rushes out, the awkwardness from his childhood and early years in the BAU resurfacing in that moment. JJ squeezes his shoulder on her way past him to hug Will.

"Will, thanks for keeping little man for me." JJ says so as to keep any potential arguments from starting. Will looks at Spencer, surveying the situation before addressing JJ.

"No problem Cher." Will drawls out of habit. "Erm, JJ. Sorry."

"That's alright Will. Old habits die hard I guess." JJ said understandingly. Spencer smiles at the pair, thanking his lucky stars that he's not out cold yet.

"So, what are you making Will?" Spencer asked.

"Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. Henry's favourite." Will spoke, an easy smile gracing his face at the mention of the 8-year-old. JJ and Spencer both smiled too at the thought of Henry getting to enjoy his favourite food with his favourite people.

"Hey Will? After lunch and once Michael is napping and Henry is occupied, can we speak to you?" Spencer asked nervously. Will's face formed a scowl as his worst-case scenario popped into his head before he remembered that two people were staring at him expectantly waiting for a response.

"Sure." Spencer's sigh was loud and audible as was JJ's laugh following it. Henry came into the kitchen then carrying Michael on his back, piggy back style.

"Is lunch ready dad?" Henry questioned Will.

"Almost bud. Just have to finish the garlic bread." Will answered the blond.

"Go wash up Henry please." Spencer asked the boy as JJ took Michael to help him wash his hands and get him prepped at the table in his high chair. Will was bringing the garlic bread to the table as Henry re-entered the room to join his family at the table.

"So, Henry, what did you and Mama do with Spencer while you visited?" Will asked Henry, genuinely curious. Henry smiled at the memory as he shoveled his first mouthful of pasta into his mouth. It took the 8-year-old a minute or so to answer as his mouth was overly full with spaghetti.

"It was fun. We had pizza and soda and watched Incredibles 2. I love movie nights with Mama and Spence." Henry told his dad animatedly, a huge grin taking over his whole face at the memory. The foursome quickly finished up their lunch and Spencer volunteered to do the dishes since Will cooked. JJ was cleaning up Michael who managed to get more spaghetti on his face and on the floor then in his mouth. Since the other adults were busy, Will looked to Henry to occupy his time,

"Hey Hen, do you want to play some PlayStation with me?" Will offered to the young blond. Henry's eyes lit up at that question, he wasn't allowed to play on his PlayStation very often.

"Can I Mama?" Henry begged, causing the adults in the room to smile.

"Sure, you can baby. Have fun with Will." JJ allowed.

"Thanks Mama!" Henry cheered, running over quickly to give JJ a hug and kiss on the cheek before racing Will to the play room. "1, 2, 3…Go!" Henry giggled as Will lagged behind, beating the older man to the room. JJ smiled as she watched the boys go and Spencer looked over from the dishes long enough to study her.

"Like I said, he loves hard." Spencer spoke softly, not wanting to break the moment as he dried his hands on a nearby dish towel and took Michael from JJ's hip. "Hi baby boy." Spencer cooed, the "Reid affect" obviously not affecting his sons. "Do you mind?" Spencer asked as he cocked his head towards the living room with Michael on his hip. JJ smiled at her boys before answering,

"Of course, not Spence, go ahead." Spencer slowly walked towards the couch, not even bothering to look at his surroundings because he had memorized them long ago. Instead, he decided to watch his son with his gorgeous blue eyes that are just like his Mama's, for that he was happy. Once the duo arrived at the living room couch, Spencer slowly sat down with Michael now in his lap and started to recite Shakespeare to the one year old. He didn't know any fairy tales, not really, but that's okay Spencer decided. This could be their thing. Halfway through the first sonnet Michael fell asleep and Spencer stood to bring the youngster to his room. On his way to the stairs, Spencer stuck his head into the playroom,

"Hey guys, I'm just going to put Michael down and then I was hoping we could have that talk Will." Will nodded.

"Henry, you play by yourself for a bit, I'm going to go talk to Mama and Spencer okay?" Will told Henry as he stood from his bean bag chair to put the controller on the table. Henry nodded absentmindedly, too caught up in his playthrough of Lego the Incredibles to speak. Will left the room then, meeting JJ in the living room so they could wait for Spencer together. Once Spencer returned, he was carrying drinks for them in his hands. A beer for Will and wine for himself and JJ. Upon seeing them, Will spoke.

"So, since we're all having drinks, I'm guessing my assumption of you being pregnant again was wrong?" Will questioned, addressing only JJ. JJ and Spencer nodded in unison.

"We're not pregnant Will," JJ started.

"We do want to ask you though if you would be terribly upset if Jayje and I started dating during your trial separation? We know we weren't fair to you or the boys in the past so we're trying to change that now." Spencer rambled on. He felt JJ's hand on his knee and so the rambling stopped. When Spencer finally looked up again, he saw Will's eyes screwed shut tight. "Will?" Spencer squeaked, bracing himself for the punch he knew for sure was coming at this point. Will cleared his throat gruffly.

"Well, I appreciate ya'll coming to me about this, but I'm not sure how to feel about it if I'm being honest." Will whispered, the hurt lacing his voice. JJ spoke in that moment.

"That's fair Will, there's no rush in the answer. We'll respect your need for time to process all this." Will sighed.

"What did Henry say when you told him the truth? I noticed he skipped over that part of your visit at lunch." Will asked the pair. JJ sighed then, not sure about how much to tell him. Spencer decided to tell him since he was blessed with an eidetic memory and this was easier on him then on JJ.

"He was thrilled. At first, he thought he would have two daddies and we explained to him that he could if that's what he wanted. Then he asked if we were going to marry and I told him the truth, that someday I would love to marry his Mama, but it wouldn't be happening right now." Spencer relayed the information easily. Will took a deep breath at that, the idea that this wasn't some fling really sinking in and he felt a little better.

"If it makes Henry that happy at the idea of you guys getting married someday and ya'll are happy together, there's no reason for me to stand in your way. It's all about the boys anyway, whatever is best for them." He paused for a moment then to stare directly into Spencer's eyes, the same stare he aimed at criminals they all found on the job and he spoke, hard and slow. "You be good to her now." Spencer gulped out of fear from the tone, again going back to his insecure younger self before he stood and responded confidently.

"I love her Will and the boys too. There's no other way for me to be." Spencer shook Will's hand firmly once and it felt like some sort of business transaction, so he added a more light hearted thought, "You're part of their family too Will, don't forget that."


End file.
